Iran launches biotechnological medicine line in Tabriz

Iran has launched a biotechnological medicine production line in north-western city of Tabriz.

Filgrastim and pegfilgrastim which are used to reduce the risk of infection during chemotherapy treatment for some types of cancer, are the first products of the Zahravi Pharmaceutical Company's new line, Iran's IRIB news agency reported on May 8.

Iran's minister of cooperatives, labour and social welfare, Ali Rabiee who attended the inauguration ceremony of the new line, remarked that it leads Iran to achieve self-sufficiency in producing filgrastim and save of about $50 million from imports.

The company has the capacity of producing 500,000 units of filgrastim and 270,000 units of pegfilgrastim per year, according to the report.

Iran's annual domestic demands for filgrastim and pegfilgrastim stand at one million and 2.7 million respectively.

About $17 million of assets were invested for construction of the biotechnological medicine production line, managing director of Zahravi Pharmaceutical Company, Ferdos Nasirizadeh said.

Iranian officials repeatedly claim that the country has taken wide strides in science and technology, particularly in medical and medicinal fields, in recent years, however the country suffers from shortages of some vital medicine.

International sanctions against Iran have hindered trade of medicines, as pharmaceutical firms have been refusing to sell Iran drugs due to difficulties in receiving payments.